Familiar Stranger
by CaliBrat
Summary: When tragedy brings an Abnormal to the Sanctuary, Magnus is brought to a new realization about the importance of their work. Some Will/Magnus, but not super shippy.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

_A/N : Okay, I've never tried to write for Sanctuary before, so I really hope I got the characters right!_

"So, how was the trip?" Will grinned at Henry. "Find anything good?"

"Magnus _told_ you?!" Henry moaned, but then started to laugh. "Just tell me Kate doesn't know where we _**really**_ were—I'll never live it down!"

"My lips are sealed," Will laughed. "By the way, Magnus said we have a visitor coming?"

"Yeah, her name's Casey. Met her a few years ago and she's pretty cool," Henry answered. "She kinda works with the Sanctuary network from time to time, but cities really aren't her thing."

"She's an Abnormal?" Will asked with some concern. Many of his experiences with Abnormals had been…less than pleasant.

"Not to worry, she's very sweet," Henry quickly added.

"She's also very late," Magnus put in as she walked into the lab. "Has there been any communication from her at all?"

"None," Henry frowned. "And that's not her usual at all. Case is so on-time you can set your watch by her."

"That is true, but perhaps she ran into some kind of trouble," Magnus said softly. Hesitantly she asked, "Has she tried to contact you directly?"

"Not a peep," Henry said slowly. He knew what Magnus might ask him to do and he wasn't thrilled about the idea. Still, Casey _was_ his friend and one of the few beings on the planet who really understood him. "Maybe I can listen in on the packsong and find her there."

"That may not be necessary, Henry." Magnus spoke gently. "Casey is well able to look after herself, and Nightshadows won't allow anything to happen to her."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Tesla stood in the doorway, his expression grim. "You need to see the latest bulletin from the Sanctuary network because things just got ugly out there."

_Yeah, it's short, but there is more written. If you want to see more you know what to do!_

_CaliBrat_


	2. Tragic Reunion

_**Tragic Reunion**_

_A/N : I forgot to mention this takes place immediately following 'Sleepers'—I thought Henry going to a comic book convention was just too funny! Thanks for reviewing so I know somebody out there is reading this insanity _

"Do we have any further information as to the nature of the attack?" Magnus demanded as everyone joined her in the communications center.

"Only that an Abnormal was attacked," Tesla answered. "And that said Abnormal has lost a lot of blood and may not have long if—"

"MAGNUS!!"

The Big Guy's shout sent a jolt through them all; not only because of sheer volume, but also the urgency behind it. At nearly the same moment, Henry cried out in pain.

"Go!" he managed to gasp out. "It's Casey!

* * *

A horrific sight greeted Will and the others as they reached the main entrance. A young woman—Casey, Will assumed—knelt clutching on to a very large black wolf for support. Blood dripped from their numerous wounds and mingled on the spotless marble floor. Henry was the first to reach them, catching the young woman in his arms as she collapsed.

"I've got you, Case. It's gonna be okay, I promise…" He kept talking softly as he dashed for the infirmary. The Big Guy gently lifted the wolf into his arms as a telepathic message reached them all.

_Help her_ came the pleading voice. _Save my wolfwalker._

* * *

The infirmary was in total chaos. Tesla worked with the Big Guy to tend to the wolf's injuries while Will assisted Magnus in a desperate fight to keep Casey alive. A thousand questions raced through his mind, and he prayed there would be a chance for them to be answered.

Henry paced uneasily outside the infirmary. There was little he could do now besides stay out of the way.

"Hey." Kate spoke in a gentler voice than he'd ever heard her use. "Is there anything I can do?"

The genuine compassion in her eyes made him bite back the sarcastic comment he would have made. She had changed in recent days and was really trying to be of assistance in any way she could. Even though she didn't know Casey, a day like this was hard for her too.

"No," he said quietly. "All we can do now is wait…"

A searing pain shot through him and waves of anguish washed over his mind, making him cry out for the second time that day. An answering scream echoed from inside the infirmary.

* * *

"Magnus, come on, snap out of it!" Will shouted, gripping her firmly by the shoulders and shaking her, but to no avail. Magnus cried out again from the unbearable grief threatening to tear her apart. "Please, what's wrong! Talk to me!!"

"She can't." Tesla roughly shoved Will aside. "Put that girl under—preferably in a coma. NOW!"

Will scrambled to obey before he had time to actually consider the potential consequences of the action. As he injected the drugs into Casey's IV, he looked up in time to see Tesla slap Magnus across the face hard enough to rock her head back from the blow. Abruptly the screams ceased.

"You sonofabitch!" Will knocked Tesla aside and carefully gathered Magnus against him. There was a reddening handprint on her pale skin and Will glared fiercely at Tesla. The older man merely shook his head.

"This is no time for chivalry," he snapped. "Now get her out of here."

Will started to argue, but Magnus gently touched his arm, her blue eyes silently pleading with him. Unable to deny her, he scooped her up and carried her out of the infirmary.

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Kate demanded angrily. Henry sat in a chair beside Casey, obviously shaken but determined to be at his friend's side. Tesla had remained in the infirmary to monitor the girl's condition.

"The wolf didn't make it," Tesla answered shortly. "Apparently it had a negative psychic impact on the girl. I'd prefer to leave further explanation until Helen has recovered sufficiently to provide it."

"Ok…for now." Kate went to stand behind Henry, letting her hand rest on his shoulder in support.

_The wolfwalker concept was inspired by a series of books by Tara K Harper. The series is known collectively as the Tales of the Wolves and is really excellent. However, this is NOT a crossover and other than the Sanctuary crew, I used original characters. No copyright infringement of any kind is intended!!!!_

_Cali_


	3. Explanations

_**Explanations**_

_A/N : I don't own Sanctuary, I'm just a starving wanna-be tattoo artist!!_

"Here." Will handed Magnus a steaming mug of hot tea heavily laced with bourbon. "It'll help."

Magnus took a sip, grimacing slightly at the strong taste of the alcohol and trying to remember how she got to her office couch from the infirmary. She vaguely remembered Will's strong arms around her –apparently he had carried her here. "Thank you. I…should apologize for what happened earlier. I wasn't exactly myself."

"Tesla should be the one apologizing," Will growled. Gently he tilted her chin up so he could examine the red mark on her cheek. "That bastard, I could kill him for this."

"No, Will, it wasn't Nikola's fault. I should have done better at shielding my mind…" Magnus leaned back into the pillow Will had placed under her head. She was exhausted from the ordeal of sharing Casey's pain at losing Nightshadows. And the day wasn't over yet.

"Hey, no, don't talk like that." Will knelt beside the couch and took the mug from her. "I take it Casey is a pretty strong telepath."

"Yes," Magnus sighed. "She is—was linked telepathically to the wolf. His loss was devastating to her, even though she was unconscious at the moment of his death."

"What is she, Magnus?" Will spoke gently, not sure how hard to push in order to help. "Are there others like her?"

"Oh, yes. Ask the others to join us and I shall try to explain."

* * *

"Casey is what is called a wolfwalker, but unlike other Abnormals, a wolfwalker is not born that way. Instead they are chosen by a wolf. It can happen at any point in life, but the wolves prefer young adults." Magnus had regained her composure to a point, but Will could tell it wouldn't last. At least the lecture would be brief as it seemed to mainly be for his and Kate's benefit.

"Why young adults?" Kate asked. "I mean, does it really matter?"

"It does indeed," Magnus answered, managing to bring up a small smile. "From the moment the wolfwalker bonds with his or her wolf, neither will age so long as the other lives."

"For how long?" Will asked quietly. He was beginning to understand why Magnus shared such a kinship with Casey, and he was concerned what her reaction could be if the girl didn't survive.

"No one really knows for sure," she answered. "Wolfwalkers generally don't have the good fortune of long lives. Because of the wolves, they can't blend in well….and if their wolf dies, the psychic shock can be fatal.:

"So for all we know, they could live forever," Will mused, more to himself than the others, but Magnus favored him with a gentle smile.

"Potentially, yes. Casey bonded with Nightshadows approximately sixty years ago. Chronologically she is eighty-four, but physically she has not aged past the age of twenty-four." She sighed and shook her head sadly. "Now…unless she bonds with another wolf, Casey will begin to age normally once more."

"So what can we do?" Kate asked. "There's gotta be some way we can help, right?"

"I'm afraid not," Magnus answered, feeling her emotional control beginning to slip as she considered the ramifications of the wolf's death on Casey. Experiencing the girl's pain even for those few minutes had taken its toll, and if a chance to bond with another wolf didn't present itself…"A wolf has to choose her of its own free will. All we can do is hope for her sake that it happens soon."

_If you want to see more, you know what to do!! _


	4. Connections

**Connections**

_A/N: Sorry I've been away so long—school started back for me and that five-week A&P course is killing me! But I didn't forget and here's chapter 4 __ Thanks for sticking with me and being patient!_

Will hesitated before knocking on the door to Magnus' office. At her request he had checked on Casey's status and had even managed to keep from throwing a punch at Tesla at the same time.

_"Is there anything that we can do once she comes around?" Will asked quietly, expecting a sarcastic response. He was surprised when Tesla merely shook his head in a defeated manner. _

_ "This has stumped even my genius," he admitted reluctantly. As Will turned to leave, Tesla added, "And I…regret doing what was necessary to break the psychic connection between Helen and Casey. Such crude methods are really not my style."_

Will shook his head to clear it for the task at hand. He knew Magnus wasn't going to ask for help, despite the fact that it was obvious to everyone she needed it. He had to at least offer her a shoulder to cry on. As he raised his hand to knock, the door suddenly opened to reveal a somewhat amused Helen Magnus.

"I wondered how long you were going to stand there making up your mind," she said quietly.

"You should be resting," Will gently admonished her. "What happened earlier was pretty traumatic…well, you were there too. "

"So you're here only in your professional capacity?" Magnus tried to keep her tone light as she allowed him to lead her back to the couch, but she couldn't meet his eyes. As they sat down Will sat beside her and took her hands in his. The unexpected boldness of his gesture surprised her enough to make her look up.

"Something like that." Will tried to smile, but didn't quite make it. "I thought you might need a friend to talk to."

"Maybe." When he squeezed her hands encouragingly, Magnus sighed and looked away. "It's very difficult to explain."

"Just try," Will said gently. He could see how badly she needed to talk and was determined to listen and help—if she would let him. "I've got all night."

"That's good because it's a rather long story." Magnus shifted a little closer to him, not wanting to let go of his hands just yet. "I suppose that it would help if I gave you an overview of what the wolfwalkers are."

"I take it they're more than just normal humans that telepathically communicate with wolves," Will observed.

"Oh, much more. There are very few of them, as the wolves are very selective about the humans they choose. A wolfwalker has to have psychic potential, be in good overall physical health, and of course have a good rapport with animals." Magnus sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly, trying to gather her thoughts. "Casey's the only one I've ever met."

"When did they…I guess I mean how long have wolfwalkers been around?" Will was fascinated by the possibilities presented, and he could see that Magnus was enjoying telling him about the history of the unique Abnormals.

"No one really knows," Magnus answered. "The wolves do carry race memory, but there is no concept of time as we know it. An event was, or is. The wolfwalkers themselves keep no history save to remember those of their kind who have been noteworthy. It seems that secrecy has been the key to their survival."

"Is Casey the only one?" Will was beginning to understand a little of why Magnus was so drawn to Casey.

"Not at all. The wolves allow their wolfwalkers to listen in on the packsong—the method by which the wolves communicate. It spans great distances and has been extremely useful when a pack is in danger. Casey obtained the wolves' permission to bring me into the packsong, which is where I have heard other wolfwalkers."

"I'm surprised a wolf hasn't shown up on your doorstep to officially recruit you," Will joked. Magnus rewarded him with a warm smile.

"Unfortunately the wolves don't enjoy being in cities," she answered. "Nightshadows was very unusual in that respect."

"I can imagine." Will could tell they were getting closer to the incident in the infirmary and he could plainly see that Magnus wasn't going to volunteer any information. If he wanted to get her talking, he was going to have to ask directly. "So…what exactly happened earlier?"

"Will, it's late and we should all get some rest." Magnus knew the protest was weak, but it seemed worth a try. She really didn't want to let Will know how much sharing Casey's pain had hurt her. She had to remain strong—or at least appear to be.

"Uh-uh. Don't try that. I know you don't plan to rest." He stared deep into her eyes, knowing she wouldn't lie. "You were linked with Casey when her wolf died, weren't you."

"Yes." Magnus looked away, the pain of the recollection washing over her. "I have never experienced such grief, not even when Ashley…"

Magnus broke off as tears filled her eyes. She hadn't spoken of Ashley's death because it simply hurt too much. But sharing what Casey had gone through at the loss of Nightshadows magnified her pain a thousand times over.

Will really didn't know what to tell her. That much grief seemed entirely too much for one person, even if that person was Helen Magnus. Gently he began rubbing her back as she struggled to regain her composure.

"Will, I'm sorry," she whispered. "Today has been…rather tiring."

"Hey, you're allowed," Will smiled. Carefully he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, letting her rest against him. "You have a good heart, Magnus."

"So do you," she sighed, feeling tears slipping down her cheeks. "Thank you, Will."

"I'm always here when you need me," Will promised. He held her a little tighter, not knowing what else he could do. "Always."

_Hope you liked it! Reviews are welcome, but please be kind—I've never written Sanctuary before!_

_Cali_


	5. Survivor

_A/N : Hooray! Only one more week of summer classes then I can spend some time finishing out this story! Not much more to go here—only about 2 maybe 3 more chapters. Thank you all for being patient with me while I get it together!_

**Survivor**

Will lay wide awake and staring into the darkness. A quick glance at his alarm clock showed the time to be nearly four in the morning, but he couldn't sleep. For a while he wandered aimlessly, finally ending up in the kitchen. He wasn't surprised when he found Magnus already there, sipping a cup a tea.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?" Will began reheating the water for a second cup.

"No, but I rarely sleep the whole night," Magnus answered quietly. "There is always so much to be done and there's never enough time in the day…"

"Hey, you can't be everywhere at once." Will steered her to the small table and sat beside her. "Magnus, you have done an extraordinary job with the Sanctuary—and not just the everyday stuff either. You really care about the Abnormals here and have done everything you can to ensure that they have the best lives possible."

"So why did today feel like such a failure?" Magnus stared at her cup, not wanting to see the compassion she knew was all over Will's face. "To lose even one in such a manner…"

"I'm only going to say this once," Will interrupted. "Today…it wasn't your fault. The ones who attacked Casey and Nightshadows were most likely acting out of ignorance and fear. For all our advances, we still revert to our most primitive behavior when confronted with the unknown."

"Perhaps," Magnus conceded. "I only wish that incidents like today could be prevented."

"Maybe humanity just needs to evolve a little more," Will smiled.

"You may be right," Magnus agreed. "I was going to check on Casey before I get to work. Would you care to join me?"

"Sure." Will knew that this was no casual request. Magnus wasn't ready to face Casey alone yet, but he didn't say a word as he followed her to the infirmary.

"She seems to have stabilized," Magnus said softly as she checked Casey's monitors.

"That's good, right?" Will asked, also keeping his voice low.

"Yes. We won't know the extent of the psychological damage until she wakes up, but…" Magnus broke off to check another reading. If only she wasn't so damned tired… "The signs are encouraging."

"Doctor Magnus?" The voice from the bed was so weak it was barely above a whisper. "Nightshadows…"

"I'm so sorry, Casey." Magnus blinked back tears as she gently stroked the girl's chocolate brown hair. Grief coupled with guilt rose in her as she thought of the soul-shattering loss that Casey had awakened to.

"Not…your fault," Casey breathed, sensing her friend's thoughts. After a moment she was deeply asleep once more. Will decided it was time to get Magnus out of there.

"Come on," he said quietly, leading her to his office and shutting the door. Even though almost everyone was still asleep, Will wanted to avoid any disturbance. He directed her to the couch and said softly, "I'm listening."

"There's nothing to say, Will." Magnus found she couldn't meet his eyes.

"If that were true, you'd be sleeping now. Or buried in a pile of paperwork," Will pointed out. "You're my friend and I care about you. Please just talk to me."

"Will, I know you want to help," Magnus said slowly. For some reason she was having difficulty finding the words to describe the troubling thoughts in her head. "It just seems very...selfish of me to be dwelling on my own problems right now."

"Helen." Will's voice was firm and his use of her first name got her attention. He just hoped he could get through to her. "You have been so busy looking after everyone else here that there's been no time left over for you to _**be**_ selfish. I can't imagine how much it hurt to lose Ashley, and to share the pain of a loss like Casey's…really it's surprising that you haven't gone completely looneytunes yet."

In spite of the tears flowing unchecked down her face, Magnus began to laugh and couldn't stop. She wondered if this was what it was like to go "looneytunes", as Will so colorfully put it, and the thought only made her laugh harder. After a few minutes, she was finally able to catch her breath.

"Will, I'm…" she began to apologize, but he laid a finger over her lips.

"Don't apologize," he smiled. Gently he brushed the remaining tears from her cheeks. "You needed that."

"You may be right," Magnus sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes. "Perhaps I should take more time…"

Will smiled when Magnus' voice trailed off as she dozed off. Taking care not to wake her, he laid her down on the couch, covering her with the quilt that he kept for the nights he spent working.

"Pleasant dreams," he whispered before taking a nearby armchair for himself. He knew she would most likely sleep several hours, but he wanted to remain nearby. After all, he had promised he would always be there. And Will could never break a promise to her.

_I think I may have changed the layout of Will's office, but hey, it's called fiction for a reason! Hope you guys enjoyed it!_

_Cali_


	6. Acceptance

_A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated, but I haven't forgotten about my loyal readers! Thanks for being patient with me :) Oh, and I don't own Sanctuary, so please don't sue me-I'm still in college, so I have no money! :)_

**Acceptance**

_Wolfwalker._

Casey allowed the voice to pull her into the gray mist that belonged to the wolves. They accepted her loss and twined it with their own, grieving with her as was the age-old custom of the wolves. There were more voices than she could count, all offering solace and warmth as Casey struggled to face the gaping wound that Nightshadows' death left in her soul.

Slowly the voices fell quiet until only one remained.

_Wolfwalker._

_You honor me._ Casey recognized the voice as that of an ancient wolf she had heard in the packsong but had never spoken with. He was greatly respected by the others because of his vast age and experience, both bonded and unbounded.

_I share your pain, youngling,_ the Ancient spoke gently._ Severing the life-bond is always difficult, but the pain will ease in time. You have heard the packsong and you know it is so._

_Yes._

_There is one who will have need of you very soon. You must be ready._

_I understand._

Slowly Casey opened her eyes and smiled a little when she saw Henry dozing in the chair next to her hospital bed.

"That's gotta be hell on your back," she croaked, startling him.

"Case!" Henry took her hand, squeezing gently. "I'm so sorry, Case."

"You did everything you could." Casey spoke quietly, holding onto her friend's hand. "It's not your fault, buddy. Sometimes shit happens, you know."

"I just wish it would quit happening to everyone I know," Henry sighed.

"Yeah." Casey stared up at the ceiling, and then looked back at him. "I wanted him to leave me there so he could get you guys to come help when the attack started."

"Nightshadows? Case, he'd never have done it." Henry knew that the wolf would never have abandoned his wolfwalker. "He knew that if he did, he'd be leaving you to your death."

"That's what the others said too," Casey said softly. "In the packsong. That and…other things."

"Like what?" Henry asked, curious.

"A lot, but this time the Ancient spoke to me directly. He's never done that before." Casey saw her own surprise mirrored on Henry's face. "He said they're going to need my help or something—I'm still a little fuzzy on what he meant by it."

"Whoa, that's major," Henry said. "If the Ancient told you himself, then they really need the help."

"I agree, so I'd better be ready. Starting with getting out of here." Casey began to sit up, but Henry quickly stopped her.

"You'd better wait until the Doc clears you before you try a jailbreak," he grinned, then grew more serious. "For a while there we weren't even sure you were gonna make it, Case. I know you wolfwalkers heal fast, but not even Superman heals _**that**_ fast."

"Dude, I'm starving here—and I know Biggie always has the kitchen well stocked," Casey answered. She knew what would really quiet the rumbling in her stomach, but if she couldn't get out of bed, there was definitely no way to slip out of the Sanctuary for junk food.

"Tell you what, I'll make you a deal." Henry had caught the look in her eye and had a fair idea exactly what she was thinking. "Stay put while the Doc checks you over and I'll run out and pick up whatever you want to eat."

"Is there a Sonic around here?" Casey grinned evilly.

"Consider it done," Henry answered. "But if you get reamed for eating that stuff, you're the one that wanted it!"

Casey stuck out her tongue.

After Henry left, the aching sorrow descended once more, making Casey wish he hadn't gone so quickly. She knew the Ancient was right and that the pain would ease in time; but for now, being alone for the first time in decades was almost more than she could stand. Tentatively she reached out with her mind, seeking the comforting presence of the one person who would understand.

"Hello, Casey," Magnus said softly, startling the wolfwalker out of her trance. "I'm glad to see you're awake."

Casey managed a wan smile for her friend. "It's good to see you, Doctor Magnus."

"After all these years, you do know you can call me Helen," Magnus smiled, knowing already what Casey's answer would be. It had been a running joke between them for some time now.

"I know, but it would just be kind of weird," Casey answered. Then, more quietly she asked, "So how messed up am I this time?"

"All things considered, you could be in worse shape," Magnus told her. "Your recovery seems to be progressing well and it shouldn't be long before you'll be able to leave the infirmary."

"I'll take that as good news," Casey mused, knowing what Magnus was going to say next, but hoping to forestall that conversation, knowing all the while it wouldn't work.

"Casey, I'm so sorry about what happened." Magnus fervently wished she had done something more to protect her friend from this. But Casey gently squeezed her hand and there was no blame in the wolfwalker's eyes.

"Doc. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't." Casey painfully struggled into a sitting position. "The day I bonded with NightShadows I accepted everything that goes with being a wolfwalker—both good and bad. And we were lucky. Most pairings only last a decade, maybe a little more. There's nothing you could have done."

"I can't accept that." Magnus carefully sat on the edge of Casey's bed. "There has to be something we overlooked…"

"Hey, quit beating yourself up," Casey interrupted. "You're brilliant, but you're not omniscient. You can't always stop bad stuff from happening."

"I realize that," Magnus spoke more sharply than she had intended. In a softer tone she added, "But it doesn't stop me from trying. We've lost so much…I just want to find a way to keep from losing more."

"I'm sorry about Ashley." Casey gingerly hugged her friend, wanting to offer some comfort. "I can't even begin to imagine what you must have gone through."

Magnus returned the hug, needing the comfort it gave as much as Casey did. As hard as she'd tried to hide her own emotions, her young friend had seen right through it and touched on the exact source of her guilt.

"They know about her," Casey said gently. Even as she spoke, she could feel the soothing waves of comfort from the wolves as they tried to help ease their friends' pain. "They can help if you let them."

For an indeterminate time—it could have been minutes or hours—Helen Magnus allowed herself to be surrounded by the packsong. The wolves did indeed know of Ashley and they mourned her as one of their own. Magnus heard the sorrow in their howling song as the wolves grieved with her and Casey.

At last, one by one they withdrew, offering what solace they could. As the last of the gray faded, Magnus found herself back in the infirmary, her face wet with tears, Casey still clinging to her. For several minutes they remained silent until Casey spoke once more.

"Are you okay, Doc?"

"Not entirely, but I think maybe I will be now," Magnus admitted, sitting back and wiping away her tears. "And shouldn't I be asking you that question? I had no idea that the packsong could be so…intense."

"I t is that," Casey agreed, taking a swipe at her own eyes. "But it helps a lot—maybe because they feel what you do and grieve too. You know, sometimes a good howl can do more than all the therapy in the world."

After a moment, Magnus and Casey burst out laughing at the mental image of themselves howling at the moon, but both of them felt a little lighter as their emotional wounds began the slow healing process.


	7. Discovery

**Discovery**

"God, Case, that's freakin disgusting," Henry grimaced when Casey opened the Sonic food container. "How the hell do you manage to eat stuff like that?"

"Hey, you'd like it if you tried it," Casey shot back before digging into the chili-cheese Coney topped with onions, mustard and relish. She took a bite and sighed with pleasure. "It looks gross, but tastes so good! I owe you one for this."

"On the house," Henry told her. "I'm just glad you're gonna be okay, you know?"

"Yeah, me too." Casey looked over at her friend. "I'm really gonna miss him a lot."

"Nightshadows really was one of a kind," Henry agreed. "Listen, if you want to talk…"

"I know." Casey frowned as she tried to put words to how she felt. "It's hard to explain…part of me just wants to hide away in a dark room and never see anyone or anything again. But I can't do that anymore than I can stop being a wolfwalker."

"Nor should you try," Magnus spoke softly. She had heard the exchange after Henry had returned. "And Henry is right—whatever that is you're eating looks absolutely revolting."

Casey snickered at that. "Oh, but it tastes great. I guess I should ask—what happens now?"

"You stay here until you have recovered," Magnus answered firmly. "After that, it's entirely up to you."

"Then there's something you need to know," Casey said quietly. "When I was…out, I was in the packsong. The Ancient told me that they'll need me soon."

"The wolves?" Magnus questioned. At Casey's nod, she continued, "Did he say why?"

"I wish." Casey took another bite and tried to organize her impressions and thoughts. "All he said was that someone would have need of me soon."

"Hm." Magnus stared into space for a second, processing this, then returned her attention to Casey. "In any event, it will be a few days before you are well enough to move about comfortably. And as it's nearly the holiday season, we'd love for you to stay here."

"Yeah, Case, you know the Big Guy always puts on a helluva feast for Thanksgiving," Henry grinned. "You know, turkey and all the trimmings. And it would be great to have you here for Christmas too."

At the mention of a feast, Casey's dark eyes lit up in anticipation, eliciting laughter from her companions.

"I can see you like the idea," Magnus smiled. "And staying here would give you more time to recover in a safe place."

"And hopefully I can find out when and where I'm going to be needed," Casey added quietly.

* * *

"There it is, man."

"Holy shit that's freaky! I always heard there was a lot of weird stuff in this part of the city, but…"

"Shut up! It'll hear you!"

The thug's warning to his buddy came too late. Without warning the creature they were hunting down turned its glowing yellow eyes on them and advanced, snarling fiercely. Terrified, they pulled out guns and pointed them at the creature.

"Back off, man, or I'll shoot!" To prove he meant it, the thug fired a warning shot directly in front of the creature. The bullet sent up concrete splinters and ricocheted to bury itself in a wooden crate. But instead of frightening the creature off, it had the opposite effect. As the creature charged full speed toward him, the thug fired again. As the bullet found its mark, the creature faltered briefly—but not enough. The thug's final thought as the creature knocked him to the ground was to wonder if his buddy had gotten away.

* * *

Casey screamed in pain as her mind was assaulted with impressions of pain, hatred and bloodlust. She desperately tried to make sense of what she was receiving through the packsong, but was unable to break free long enough to come back to herself.

_WOLFWALKER!_ The Ancient's voice cut through the unbearable noise, giving her something to focus on, much like a light cutting through a storm at sea.

_Make it stop!_ Casey wailed loudly. _It's too much, it hurts, MAKE IT STOP!_

_CASEY!_ Magnus added her mental voice to that of the Ancient. _Listen to us! Listen only to our voices. You must break free of the packsong, now CONCENTRATE!_

The entwined thoughts of Magnus and the Ancient reached Casey like a lifeline and as she clung to their voices, the cacophony of pain began to recede. Slowly her senses began to return and she was able to block out the packsong and shut her mind away from it.

_Thank you,_ she sighed with relief before shutting herself off completely and sinking into unconsciousness.

* * *

The surviving thug retched violently in an alley, not caring who saw, if they called the cops, or what. After the creature had finished its kill, it had staggered toward him, and then collapsed dead on the ground. The thug scrambled away as quickly as he could, not seeing the tiny figure emerging from the shadows to nuzzle the strange creature's still form.

* * *

"Yech, no wonder the guy was so freaked," Henry said as he and Will surveyed the mess a couple of hours later. "This is like, total gore-fest horror movie stuff."

"What I'd like to know is why they were hunting this thing to begin with," Will answered, warily circling the carcass. "This doesn't exactly seem like something you'd be wanting to keep as a pet."

"Thrill seekers, maybe?" Henry asked, trying to figure out just what the hell they'd found. "Damn, we really need more light. I can't get much of an idea here of what we're looking at."

"Will this help?" Magnus startled them both by switching on a large battery-operated lantern and shining it over the dead creature. "Oh dear God."


	8. New Beginning

_A/N: Thanks for keeping up with me :) And as always, I own nothing but my laptop and my imagaination!_

**New Beginning**

"It's some kind of wolf, I'm certain of that," Magnus said slowly, carefully examining the body while trying to move it as little as possible. "What it's doing here in the city, I couldn't even begin to guess. We won't know more until we get it back to the Sanctuary for a proper autopsy."

"It explains what happened to Casey, though," Will commented. "She must have been linked to it somehow when those punks attacked it."

"But why kill them?" Magnus wondered aloud. "A creature this size could easily have outrun them."

"Uh, guys?" Henry said tentatively. He had been checking the rest of the area for any clues to the strange wolf-creature's origin and wasn't quite sure what to do about _**this**_. "I think we just found our reason."

Crouched in the shelter of a stack of old crates was a tiny, shivering wolf puppy.

* * *

"So it was protecting its baby?" Kate asked, watching Magnus feed the pup warm milk from a bottle. Once it had realized that the strangers weren't a threat, it had become strangely docile and was now happily enjoying the attention from its new caretakers.

"Never underestimate maternal instinct," Magnus answered. "It's fairly strong in most mammals, but for a species like this, I'd guess even more so."

"Poor little guy." Kate smiled as the pup, his belly now full, curled up into a tiny ball of fur. "Have you told Casey about him? I bet she'd love to see him."

"I will once she wakes up," Magnus agreed, almost afraid to hope for what she was thinking. "For now, they both need rest."

* * *

"So how are the patients doing?" Will asked softly as he walked into Magnus' office. She looked up from the file she was reading and tried to smile.

"The pup fell asleep as soon as he had eaten his fill—normal behavior for one so young." As she looked at the monitor displaying the little furball, Magnus couldn't help smiling. Neither could Will.

"Cute little fella," he commented. "But why would its mother bring it into a city? I mean, wouldn't they have been safer in some isolated area?"

"I have no idea," Magnus admitted. "But the autopsy revealed some interesting results."

"What did you find out?"

"First of all that the creature was male, so it couldn't have been the pup's mother. Also the pup seems to be a mutation of the species. There were several genetic anomalies." Magnus looked at the file again, still puzzled by its content. "Whatever the creature was doing here, it was apparently sent as some sort of escort or guardian for the pup. I can't even begin to guess why."

"What about Casey?" Will asked tentatively.

"At the moment, also asleep," Magnus answered. "I gave her a fairly strong sedative, so she shouldn't wake until morning. It also shuts off her psychic connection to the wolves so her mind can rest as well as her body. Henry offered to sit with her tonight."

"So all's quiet on the home front," Will commented, drawing a tired smile from Magnus.

"For now," she agreed, trying to hide her exhaustion. Over the past two days she had gotten very little sleep and it was catching up with her quickly. Under normal circumstances she could go much longer without sleep, but these were hardly normal circumstances. Not that she would let anyone know that. "You should try to get some rest, Will. I'd like for you to talk to Casey when she wakes up tomorrow."

"Sure. But I don't know that I'll be that much help. From what you and Henry have told me, she's already coping with her loss." Will wasn't really sure that there was much he _could_ say in an instance like this.

"Don't sell yourself short," Magnus smiled. "You could be of more help than you realize."

"Magnus, how do I even _**talk**_ to her? This is a girl who talks telepathically to wolves; she's eighty-four but looks twenty-four…" Will sat down in the nearest chair, resting his elbows on his knees and gazing down at the floor. This was even more out of his frame of reference than his regular job and for once he was at a complete loss. He tried to come up with the thought worrying him the most. "Casey has just gone through a kind of loss that none of us has ever directly experienced. Honestly…I don't even know where to start."

"Will." Slowly Magnus walked around her desk to kneel in front of him and gently touched his cheek to make him look her in the eye. He looked so lost that it nearly broke her heart and she would have done anything to offer him the reassurance he needed. "Just talk to her like you would to anyone. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask them; Casey will be more than happy to answer them."

"You make it sound so simple," Will said quietly. "But it can't be."

"It is." Magnus pulled him to his feet and lead him to the window. They stood together looking at the view for a minute before she spoke again, this time with a touch of wry humor. "Tell me, were you this afraid to talk to me at first?"

"_What_? No, of course not!" Will was shocked she would even ask. Magnus gently took his arm and rested her head against his shoulder, sensing the contact would offer them both some comfort.

"She's a person, the same as we are," she told him softly. "A little different, maybe—but then, aren't we all?"

Will couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"How do you always know just what to say to make everything seem better?" Will asked.

Magnus looked up at him with the gentle smile she seemed to reserve just for him. "Most of the time I don't."

"Well, you're good at it," Will smiled. When Magnus didn't answer, he looked down at her and realized just how tired she really was. "You know, maybe you should call it a night too."

"Later, there's still a great deal of work to be done," Magnus answered, but remained leaning against him. At this point she wasn't sure how long she could remain standing on her own.

"Magnus, you're practically dead on your feet," Will informed her, cursing himself for not seeing it sooner. He knew damn well she would work herself into collapse if allowed, and she was right on the brink now. "If you try to work like this the only thing that's going to happen is you'll fall asleep on your desk. Then all that will happen is you'll be tired and have a sore neck."

"Will—"

"No arguing, okay?" Gently he steered her toward the door. "You really need a good night's sleep."

"Which I can do just as well _after_ my work is done," Magnus returned, attempting to draw him back into the office. Unfortunately her body chose that moment to rebel and her legs gave way. If not for Will she would have ended up in an undignified heap on the floor.

"Okay, that's it," Will said, tightening his hold on her. "You're going to get some sleep if I have to throw you over my shoulder, carry you to the infirmary and sedate you myself."

"All right, you win," Magnus conceded, mainly because she was pretty sure she didn't have the energy to fight him if he decided to make good on his threat. But as Will escorted her toward her suite she couldn't help adding, "Cheeky monkey."


End file.
